Culling of the Fold
by shake-n-shiver
Summary: Ply her heart with gold and silver, take your sweetheart down to the river, dash her on the paving stones, it may break your heart to break her bones, but, someone's got to do the culling of the fold -- Culling of the Fold by The Decemberists - Part of t
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Doctor Who, but I'll buy it for a quarter.**  
Author: **sinecure**  
Thanks: **To JennyLD for the beta and making me look to this song for a prompt for angst, and... for all the lots and lots of feelings she poured into this fic. Strong feelings.  
**Prompt:** _Ply her heart with gold and silver, take your sweetheart down to the river, dash her on the paving stones, it may break your heart to break her bones but someone's got to do the culling of the fold_ -- Culling of the Fold by The Decemberists

The Doctor woke up, a light sheen of sweat forming on his body. His breath left him in short, desperate pants, the empty, lonely feeling inside him swirling through his veins and muscles and flesh before taking hold of his hearts. They thumped slowly, out of time with one another for a few beats before synching up again.

The terror and panic that held him in its thrall began to loosen its grip centimeter by centimeter.

A body moved beside him and he closed his eyes, seeing blonde hair and a wide, beautiful smile. Dark brown eyes danced behind his lids as a teasing voice floated toward him. It was her again. Rose Tyler.

Rose Marion Tyler, daughter of Peter Allen Tyler and Jacqueline Suzette Tyler. Only child. Ex-lover of Mickey Smith.

Figment of the Doctor's imagination.

So, he couldn't have left her behind on a planet whose name he couldn't remember, under a night sky that she'd never seen before.

He held his breath a moment longer, grasping desperately at the image as it began to fade away. The beautiful young girl that he loved with both hearts was dissipating before his eyes, slipping away as easily as a breath of warm air in a chilly breeze.

Breathing out as the last of the girl disappeared, he opened his eyes and turned to the woman beside him.

Dark blonde hair fell over her forehead as she shifted closer to him, her bare skin pressing against his. She warmed him in the aftermath of the dream. She always did. He lo-- cared about her for that. Reaching out a hand, he brushed her hair from her face, revealing eyes that blinked at him as her wide mouth curved into a pleasant smile.

"Morning," she whispered, voice husky from sleep. Her hand closed the distance between them and settled on his chest.

His smile was slow in forming, the vestiges of his dream still there, drifting further and further away, but still playing at the edges of his memory. He thought maybe he'd be able to figure it out this time. That it would stay with him long enough for him to grasp. "Morning, R--"

A golden light flashed up between them, warming his skin and chest. He arched away from her touch as it began to sear him, eyes widening before settling on her face, seeing a smirk forming, growing wider than her smile. There was a sparkle of something similar to metal as she pulled her hand free and slid it back under the covers.

The Doctor closed his eyes as calm soared through him, sweeping and brushing out all the cobwebs and uncertainty. Happiness curled around his hearts and flowed into his bones. Ah! Another day on the TARDIS with the woman he loved. Exploring planets and species and having adventures. Life was good.

Turning to his lover, he grinned and smacked a kiss on her lips. She smiled back, playing with the hairs on his chest. A fleeting memory danced out of reach and flitted away. "Well, come on!" he told her, jumping from bed to stare down at her. "Can't sleep the day away."

She stretched and yawned, watching him with a pout. "Can too."

"Well, technically, you could," he agreed, stepping into his trousers. "But why would you want to?"

She moaned and relaxed, tossing the covers back, baring her naked body to his gaze. Why, he wondered, wasn't it enough to entice him back to bed? It wasn't hard to resist, and he thought, as he always did, that it was odd that he didn't want to touch her in the mornings. Shrugging his shoulders, he buttoned his shirt and tried to think of somewhere new to take her.

In just a few hours, he knew, he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off her.

He rounded the bed and grabbed her hand, yanking her up to her good-natured complaints. "I swear, River, you're the laziest companion I've ever had."

* * *

Rose drew her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her ankles. Staring up at the night sky, she wondered if he was still out there. Did he ever think of her beyond his dreams? Did he even remember her?

Hearing the strains of distant music, she climbed wearily to her feet and brushed off her bottom.

It didn't matter anymore. The Doctor was gone, off having adventures with Professor River Song: archeologist. And alien. She'd never see him again, unless he somehow managed to break free from River's hold, but she no longer had hopes of that happening.

With a heavy heart, she walked slowly down the hill to her home. Taking one last look at the stars, she hoped he was out there somewhere, and that he wasn't alone, before going inside to the party. You'd think birthdays were a once in a century event on this planet. It still amazed her how jovial these people were. Her people now. She was one of the Helorean people now and this was her planet too.

Sighing, she opened the door, smiling at all the people crammed into her home, laughing and talking and dancing. They cheered as she entered and she thought to herself that maybe ninety wasn't too old to celebrate life.


	2. Return to the Fold

**Title:** Return to the Fold  
**Author:** sinecure  
**Character/Pairing:** Ten/Rose  
**Rating:** Teen  
**Genre:** Drama, romance  
**Summary:** Her hair was longer. Darker too.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who.  
**Author's Notes:** to JennyLD for the beta and working through the drama with me.

Warm water splashed to the surface of the pool, dripping down flesh, beading and running in rivulets along tanned skin. The Doctor's eyes settled on Rose's bare back, slipped over her dark hair, and caressed her curves. His fingers clenched tighter as he fought the desire to swim out to her and take her in his arms.

With a critical eye, he examined her. Her hair was longer. Darker too. Much different from his dreams and-- no, not just dreams. Memories. These were real memories, and that was really Rose, and she was really here.

Safe. Alive.

He sucked in a breath, squinting at the sunlight that slipped through the branches overhead. River was gone, the device she'd used on him in the TARDIS, no longer in dangerous hands. So why couldn't he make himself believe that he was here, that Rose was... Rose was all right?

Memories were subjective. His were returning as time slipped by, and every day he remembered things more fully. But he wasn't sure that he'd ever retrieve all of them, and he didn't fancy gaps in his memory.

Stretching his neck, he unbuttoned his suit jacket and shirt, tossing them on his coat, already covering the forest floor.

River had only needed the one time and now he was rid of her forever. While with Donna, his younger self would receive her message and head to the library where she would eventually end up imprisoned in the computer. Never to hurt anyone again.

Untying his Chucks, he stared across the distance separating him and Rose.

River had been given false memories of a life with him, and he'd been given a second chance with the woman he loved, thanks to a few weeks in a prison cell on Alige Five, where River hadn't been able to continually dose him with the device.

Slipping his trousers off, he stood for a moment, watching the water slide down her back.

When he had her by his side, he'd never gone that extra step to let her know how he felt. Never showed her that he loved her and wanted her. He'd only ever let her see his need.

He was going to change that today, here, in this lake, under a waterfall, and hope that she forgave him for leaving her stranded on a small planet in the Rishdon system.

Wading into the cool water, he quietly moved toward her. Halfway there, he slid under the surface and swam the rest of the way, making as few ripples as possible. When he was only a few meters away, he surfaced, slicking his hair back from his eyes.

Here she was, the woman he loved; Rose Marion Tyler. Reconciling his dreams and memories was easier with her before him, but it was still a little hard to imagine ever having left her behind. Knowingly left her behind with a wave and a smile.

He felt sick.

"I know you're there," she said suddenly, startling him. "I'm not blind or deaf." Her voice was just the same as before.

Disappointed that she'd heard him and he wasn't able to sneak up and surprise her, he circled around with a smile.

She lost her own smile as she turned and met him halfway. Hands rising to her mouth to cover her gasp, she stared at him, stunned. "Doctor," she whispered, tears springing quickly to her eyes.

Before he could nod or answer, she threw her arms around him with a shout of laughter. It was a strange experience having a nearly naked Rose in his arms, pressed up against his own nearly naked body. But he didn't mind, in fact he rather enjoyed it.

Pulling free, she grinned up at him, and he couldn't see a single difference in her face. It was just as he remembered it, and he did remember her. "You're here." Her smile faded and she turned to look toward the shore. "River?"

"She's where she belongs," he told her, drawing her back into his arms with a contented sigh. He smoothed his hand down her wet hair and back. "I'm so sorry, Rose," he whispered.

Rose slipped from his arms and smiled softly. "It wasn't your fault. She had that device--"

"Not any longer. She's been... well, doesn't matter. She's gone for good." He cupped her face, examining it more closely, noting every line, every wrinkle that wasn't there. It'd been three years for him. "How long, Rose?"

She smiled dismissively and turned back to the waterfall. "Doesn't matter. You're here now."

"Rose."

She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, shrugging a shoulder. "A few years."

He wanted to stick his hands in his pockets, but he was standing in a lake wearing only a pair of pants. And Rose was looking far too sexy for him to be thinking about that. Focusing on the matter at hand, he raised an eyebrow at her.

She rolled her eyes and dropped her arms. "Seventy years."

"Sev--" he repeated, scouring her with his gaze, trying to figure out how it was possible. This was a small planet with twentieth century Earth-like technology, there wasn't enough tech here to keep Rose looking like she was twenty-five at ninety-odd years old. "How?"

Shaking her head, she stared at him. "You really don't know? Don't understand that I'd use Bad Wolf, take advantage of that power while I had it?" Smiling, she glanced away and then back again. "Of course I'd use it to keep my promise. I'm only human after all."

"Forever?" he clarified, not sure which was worse at that moment; that she'd used the power to stay with him forever, or that he wanted so badly for her to have done so.

"Forever."

It was definitely a plus for him to have Rose Tyler by his side for the rest of his lives. But... "The road to forever is going to be a long and bumpy one," he cautioned her.

She grinned, more at ease with herself than he'd ever seen her. "Bring it on." Then she leaned forward and kissed him.


End file.
